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The Impact of Ethnic Diversity in Bureaucracies: Evidence from the Nigerian Civil Service

Author

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  • Imran Rasul
  • Daniel Rogger

Abstract

We document the correlation between the workplace diversity in bureaucratic organizations and public service delivery. We do so in the context of Nigeria, where ethnicity is a salient form of self-identity. We thus expand the empirical management literature highlighting beneficial effects of workplace diversity, that has focused on private sector firms operating in high-income settings. Our analysis combines two data sources: (i) a survey to over 4,000 bureaucrats eliciting their ethnic identities; (ii) independent engineering assessments of completion rates for 4,700 public sector projects. The ethnic diversity of bureaucracies matters positively: a one standard deviation increase in the ethnic diversity of bureaucrats corresponds to 9 percent higher completion rates. In line with the management literature from private sector firms in high-income countries, this evidence highlights a potentially positive side of ethnic diversity in public sector organizations, in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Imran Rasul & Daniel Rogger, 2015. "The Impact of Ethnic Diversity in Bureaucracies: Evidence from the Nigerian Civil Service," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(5), pages 457-461, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:105:y:2015:i:5:p:457-61
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20151003
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Marta Troya-Martinez & Liam Wren-Lewis, 2023. "Managing Relational Contracts," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 21(3), pages 941-986.
    2. Resnick, Danielle & Okumo, Austen, 2017. "Subnational variation in policy implementation: the case of Nigerian land governance reform:," NSSP working papers 46, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Binzel, Christine & Link, Andreas & Ramachandran, Rajesh, 2021. "Language, Knowledge, and Growth: Evidence from Early Modern Europe," CEPR Discussion Papers 15454, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Dennis Gabriel Pepple, 2020. "Linking Ethnic Identification to Organisational Solidarity," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 113-128, March.
    5. Ramesh Sunam & Bishnu Pariyar & Krishna K Shrestha, 2022. "Does affirmative action undermine meritocracy? “Meritocratic inclusion” of the marginalized in Nepal’s bureaucracy," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(1), January.
    6. Baten, Jörg, 2019. "Elite Violence and Elite Numeracy in Europe from 500 to 1900 CE: A Co-Evolution?," CEPR Discussion Papers 14013, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Chen, Yvonne Jie & Li, Pei & Lu, Yi, 2018. "Career concerns and multitasking local bureaucrats: Evidence of a target-based performance evaluation system in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 84-101.
    8. Olofinbiyi, Tolulope & Mogues, Tewodaj, 2017. "Who Influences Government Spending in Agriculture? The Roles of Public Actors in Subnational Funding Allocation in Nigeria," Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Papers 259572, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security (FSP).
    9. Catherine Buffington & Lucia Foster & Ron Jarmin & Scott Ohlmacher, 2016. "The Management and Organizational Practices Survey (MOPS): An Overview," Working Papers 16-28, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    10. Gbenga Akinlolu Shadare, 2022. "The Governance of Nigeria’s Social Protection: The Burdens of Developmental Welfarism?," Societies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, February.
    11. Trong‐Anh Trinh & Simon Feeny, 2024. "Does the power of the king stop at the village gate? Embeddedness and provincial development in Vietnam," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 677-707, July.
    12. Ali Shariff Kabara & Dewi Fariha Abdullah & Saleh F. A. Khatib & Ayman Hassan Bazhair & Hamzeh Al Amosh, 2023. "Moderating Role of Governance Regulatory Compliance on Board Diversity and Voluntary Disclosure of Non-Financial Firms in a Developing Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, March.
    13. Arun Advani & Bryony Reich, 2015. "Melting pot or salad bowl: the formation of heterogeneous communities," IFS Working Papers W15/30, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    14. Simon Rafaqat & Sahil Rafaqat & Saoul Rafaqat & Dawood Rafaqat, 2022. "The Impact of Workforce Diversity on Organizational Performance: A Review," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 14(2), pages 39-50.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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